Ok, ok I will admit it. Yes I did cry at the McQueen & I program on More 4, click
here to watch it if you sadly missed it.
The program was beautifully put together, it told the story of his life inc the rise, the falls, from beginning to end. It featured Isabella Blows life as she was a key character in Alexander McQueen's life. It's really strange how this program has been put together and aired so soon after I personally discovered Isabella for myself from the Lady Gaga interview on Vogue.com. When McQueen worked with Gaga he often commented on her and Isabella's similarities. They actually look to same and to quote Alexander 'even your breasts feel the same!'
Personally it's strange in the good way because I still have the Isabella's Wiki page still on my favourites (I have so many links on there I should really sift through them) I was enchanted by Isabella's life and was studying her for research for my Fashion Journalism interviews. I saw the connection, it all made sense. You look at Alexanders work you see his thought processes, some not all that clear, but you also see Isabella's influence infused there, such as the black and gold military jacket she wore when flying Hawks.
I was so affected by Isabella's life when researching I shared it with my mum. I was distraught at how many times she tried to commit suicide, each time she survived, how she felt alone and how she suffered with depression. You have to look at the home life to understand why such a person is more subjected to depression, which I did, thanks to Wiki. Izzys mother left their family when she was young and departed on a handshake. Her father, only left her a appalling amount of estate money, her fondest memory is trying on one of her mothers hats. So it's rather fitting she nurture, Phillip Tracy, king of hattery.
When Izzy took her own life with the poison which was in fact (according to Wiki, so probably not fact) weedkiller. It was her sister who found Izzy and its recalled that she said "I'm worried I haven't taken enough." Izzy also had ovarian cancer and was unable to conceive, so the trauma of trying repeatedly in a number of methods to have a child only helped spiral on this devastating depression. I feel so emotional about it and empathetic towards her, how could you not.
Alexander and Izzy, understood one another as if brother and sister. However, both needed independent nurturing and when times were hard and stresses were at their highest neither could play the stronger leader. Alexander was surrounded with this way of dealing with things, therefore it made me accept a little bit more as to why he chose to take his own life.
Alexander waves farewell, arm held high as he earns his standing ovation from his jaw dropping SS10 show.
The program features archived interviews, catwalks and friends/family/colleague statements. Anyone interested in fashion or not should watch this. It really shows you how hard designers work to get to where they are. Galliano is suspended from Dior today because of drunken behaviour and alleged anti Semitic words however the shows in a week, hes been at Dior for 13 years. Its A LOT of pressure.
If Galliano did say anti Semitic words that is NEVER right. Designers are under so much pressure, you learn in the program, it's 10 collections a year. Thats 10 projects of hard graft and new inspirations. I struggle with 4 a year for graphics and photography and thats not even in the same league. Perhaps more acknowledgment to the catalyst of fashion, that is the designers, will realise in the words of Tavi 'fashion needs to relax, for like 2 seconds.'
Overall, the program did McQueen good. Expanding the knowledge further a field, everybody should understand this media projected story, like any other. The program corrects any assumptions in the best possible way. Alexander McQueen,
does live on.
